ORANGE – At peak lunch hour, dozens of burger fans lined up outside Five Guys Burgers & Fries on Monday to be the first Orange County diners to see if the East Coast sensation could oust hometown favorite In-N-Out Burger.

Five Guys, a Virginia-based burger chain, is often dubbed the In-N-Out of the East Coast, where residents and local critics have named it the best burger in its region. But skeptics like Johnny Nielsen of Tustin have found the fuss hard to believe.

So he headed to Orange, where the chain debuted its first O.C. location, to give the burger a shot. He even studied the menu the night before, knowing that Five Guys offers many more unique free toppings (jalapenos, A-1 sauce, grilled mushrooms) compared to rival burger chains.

"We want to see if this can really beat In-N-Out," said Nielsen, while waiting in line with his friend Rick Davies.

After ordering a burger similar to In-N-Out's signature Double Double, Nielsen reluctantly shared his thoughts.

"It's pretty good," he said with a tone of surprise. "It's like eating a burger made at home. The meat is good like something you would get at a local butcher."

Other Five Guys newbies were equally impressed.

"The burger was delicious," said Matthew Smitley, 21, of Buellton. "The overall atmosphere of the restaurant, including the food, it's perfect."

Some couldn't go out on a limb and declare Five Guys superior to In-N-Out, including Ryan Myers, who drove from Corona to try the burger for the first time.

"It tastes pretty good.... more like a [burger from a]Ã¯Â¿Â½ mom-and-pop's shop, where they sell just about everything," said Myers, 30. "You can put it up there with In-N-Out. In-N-Out [is] just a little bit above Five Guys."

Davies was also reluctant to declare Five Guys a champion over In-N-Out. "I won't say it is better than In-N-Out, but it is tasty."

While the chain is often compared to In-N-Out, diners quickly realized that Five Guys is very different.

First off, the chain offers counter-service only, so no drive-through service for car-eating obsessed Southern California foodies. Five Guys' hand-pressed burgers can also be ordered with a wide range of toppings ranging from green peppers to A-1 sauce.

This makes them more like a fast-food version of The Counter, which recently opened its second O.C. gourmet burger unit in Newport Beach.

While In-N-Out's Achilles heel has always been its potato-chip tasting fries, Five Guys fans will drive miles for a batch of fries, which are deep fried in peanut oil. They also serve hot dogs and spicy Cajun fries, a popular item Monday.

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It was opening day for Orange County's first Five Guys Burgers and Fries restaurant. The Virginia-based chain is considered the In-N-Out of the East Coast. H. LORREN AU JR., THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Five Guys "fry guy" cook Brennan Walker, cuts up onions while his peers work preparing beef patties in background. H. LORREN AU JR., THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
As opening day arrives at the new Five Guys Burgers and Fries restaurant in Orange, franchisees Bob Zanolli, center, and Phil Ratner, tutor staffer Mary Duran as she reviews how to take an order. H. LORREN AU JR., THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Orange's Five Guys Burgers and Fries restaurant features 15 selections of beverages for their customers. Drinks are piped in from the back to the fountain. H. LORREN AU JR., THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Five minutes before Five Guys Burgers and Fries first customers enter the restaurant, Manager Chris Vargas, gives hardy elbow bashes to all his workers. H. LORREN AU JR., THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Franchisee Bob Zanolli, right, pumps up the troops moments before the Five Guys Burgers and Fries restaurant opens to the public Monday. H. LORREN AU JR., THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Under signs using superlatives, some of Five Guys Burgers and Fries restaurant's first customers line up to place their orders. H. LORREN AU JR., THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Orange County's first Five Guys Burgers and Fries restaurant opened for business Monday. H. LORREN AU JR., THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Ben Smitley, left, and Matt Smitley, drove down from the Santa Barbara area to dine at Orange County's first Five Guys Burgers and Fries restaurant on opening day. The brothers said the "amazing" burgers tasted "just like you'd make at home" and were "comforting" as well as "tasty." H. LORREN AU JR., THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Lines wound out the door less than an hour after Orange County's first Five Guys Burgers and Fries restaurant opened Monday. H. LORREN AU JR., THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Cashier Amanda Voth, guides a customer toward an open table on Five Guys Burgers and Fries restaurant opening day. H. LORREN AU JR., THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
These diners also work at another Five Guys Burgers and Fries restaurant in Southern California. This restaurant in Orange was the first in Orange County for the Virginia-based chain. H. LORREN AU JR., THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
French fries are rinsed at the Five Guys Burgers and Fries restaurant in Orange Monday. Idaho potatoes are shipped in and cooked. H. LORREN AU JR., THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Ann Ora and her roommate Ryan Myers, both from Corona, dine at the Five Guys Burgers and Fries restaurant in Orange Monday. Myers said that overall he liked the taste of the burgers here. H. LORREN AU JR., THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Staffers ready burgers to pass along to their patrons at the new Five Guys Burgers and Fries restaurant in Orange. H. LORREN AU JR., THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Five Guys Burgers and Fries staffers hustle to keep ahead of the crowd on opening day in Orange Monday. H. LORREN AU JR., THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Five Guys Burgers and Fries restaurant is a Virginia-based chain that some people consider the In-N-Out of the East Coast. H. LORREN AU JR., THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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